Yoga for sleep: 5 best asanas for a restful night’s sleep

While it’s best to avoid vigorous exercise before bed, a few gentle and simple yoga poses can help relieve tension in the body, set you up for restful sleep, and help you fall asleep quickly. Try these poses that are perfect for relaxing before bed.

Ragdoll

Starting position: stand straight – balanced, but relaxed. Bend your knees and lower your upper body towards your hips. Once you feel comfortable in this pose, bring your hands behind your back and interlace your fingers. Straighten your elbows and tilt your head forward. Focus on your breath, gently moving into the asana with each inhale, releasing tension with each exhale. Repeat five to ten breathing cycles, depending on your comfort level in this asana.

Cat

Get down on the floor on your hands and knees, with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. You can put a rolled up blanket under your knees to protect them. Inhaling, arch your back and lower your head. Exhaling, lower your back down. Raise your head. Repeat 10 breath cycles. Avoid this sleep yoga pose if you suffer from chronic back pain or have recently suffered a back injury.

Sitting forward bends

Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Your legs should be gently pressed against each other, ideally your knees should be pressed to the floor. If you can’t fully lower your knees to the floor, bend them slightly. Raise your arms up, elbows should be straight. Inhale and, keeping your back straight, lean forward at the hips, not at the waist. Ideally, your arms should be wrapped around your feet with your legs straight. However, if this is too difficult, try hugging your hips with your knees slightly bent. Relax and focus on your breath, gently stretching your spine with each inhale, releasing tension on the exhale. Stay in this pose for 5 to 10 breaths, depending on how comfortable you are in it. Do not practice this pose if you have asthma or have a back injury.

Feet up the wall

To perform this very relaxing sleep yoga pose, you need to find some free space on the wall. Nothing should hang too low on this section of the wall. Sit with one side of your body against the wall, pressing your thigh as close to it as possible. Roll onto your back gently and gently, perpendicular to the wall, so that your legs rotate up the wall just above your hips. Your legs can be together or hip-distance apart, whichever is more comfortable for you. Hands should lie at your sides with palms up. Focusing on your breath, relax your neck, shoulders, and back. If you are comfortable, you can stay in this position for 10 minutes or more. To come out of the asana, slide your feet down the wall.

Stretching lying on your side

Get ready for bed with this simple exercise. You’ll need a roller, but if you don’t have one, you can improvise by rolling up a large towel or blanket. Lie on your side and place the roller under your waist. Stretch your arms up with your knees slightly bent. Let your body relax completely, using your lower hand as a pillow for your head. Hold the pose for three minutes on each side.